[olug] Red hat cert

[Jonathan Warren]

Since you brought up help desks I find I must share this incase anyone hasn't seen it yet.
http://homepage.mac.com/deadtroll2/deadtroll.com/stream1.html

On Mon, Dec 16, 2002 at 03:12:34PM -0600, bbrush at unlnotes.unl.edu wrote:
> 
> Regarding your comment about real-world vs. test taking it's an unavoidable
> fact that if you have a list of requirements then some people will learn
> those requirements by rote, and be able to pass the test.  The more
> real-world the testing is, the less effective rote memorization is.  Good
> cert programs recognize this and make their tests as practical as possible.
> In my experience Novell tests, and Lotus tests are very good at this.
> Novell has test questions where you actually have to perform the required
> task.  Lotus is also very comprehensive. From what I've been told Cisco's
> cert program is about the toughest there is.  They have a practical exam to
> get the highest level of certification that you have to go to their HQ for,
> and it's all hands-on.  It has something like a 50% failure rate.
> 
> A cert is only as good as the experience backing it up.  A good example is
> a guy who applied here several times.  He has a CNE, but he's been out of
> the IT field for 3 years.  At this point I have to wonder what possible
> relevance his skill set has to what we're doing today.  Kind of the flip
> side of certs.
> 
> The position being applied for also matters as to whether a cert is an
> asset.   We had CNE's and MCSE's applying for our help desk position and we
> pretty much unilaterally disqualified them because we don't want or need
> someone with that level of expertise manning our help desk.
> 
> Bill
> 
> 
> 
>                                                                                                                                  
>                       Jonathan Warren                                                                                            
>                       <thechunk at cox.net        To:       olug at olug.org                                                           
>                       >                        cc:                                                                               
>                       Sent by:                 Subject:  Re: [olug] Red hat cert                                                 
>                       olug-admin at olug.o                                                                                          
>                       rg                                                                                                         
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>                       12/16/2002 09:31                                                                                           
>                       AM                                                                                                         
>                       Please respond to                                                                                          
>                       olug                                                                                                       
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> >Thank you for the comments.  I think you make some very valid points
> especially about keeping some feelings to >yourself while in an interview.
> I have had limited experience with certifications.  I personally beleive
> >that they often fail to examine real world situation in favor of book
> study and test taking.  That is why I >don't like them.  I know they would
> help make the short list and I guess I would recomend to anyone entering
> >IT to get all the education and papers you can saying that you know what
> your doing.  It never hurts.
> >
> >-Jon W
> 
> 
> 
> 
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